[Iron status and weaning practices among healthy 1-year old infants].

Abstract

Iron status and weaning practices were studied in healthy one-year-old Norwegian and immigrant children (from developing countries) attending Fjell Health centre, Drammen. None of the Norwegian children (n = 33) had empty iron stores (serum ferritin < 10 micrograms/l) or iron deficiency anaemia (serum ferritin < 15 micrograms/l and haemoglobin < 11 g/100 ml). Among the immigrant children (n = 37) the prevalences were 14 and 11% respectively. The immigrant children were given infant formula earlier than the Norwegian and drank cow's milk for a longer period of the first year. There were no differences between the groups as regards introduction of infant cereals or other types of foods (vegetables, meat, fish).